1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an electrical connector and more particularly to a variable force ejecting apparatus for disconnecting and removing a memory card from the connector. Memory cards include cards with various types of storing mediums, such as IC cards (Type I), cards with various I/O functions for modems and local area networks (Type II), and hard disks (Type III).
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
To enhance the miniaturization and expand the use of electronic equipment, various types of connector devices have been developed to be used with known card-like data processing mediums such as memory cards. Usually a connector device is used to connect a data medium such as a memory card to electronic equipment, such as a computer. The frame of the connector device is formed by a pair of parallel rails and a header joining the rails with an insert slot opposite the header. The header includes an array of contact terminals that are connected to internal units in the electronic equipment. A memory card can be inserted in the slot and guided along the rails. The contact terminals of the memory card connect with the contact terminals of the header, thereby not only electrically connecting the terminals with each other but also mechanically fixing the memory card in place.
Some connector devices are also provided with an ejecting apparatus that disconnects (i.e. unplugs) the contact terminals of the memory card from the pin terminals of the header, thus mechanically disconnecting the memory card from the connector device.
Generally, the ejecting apparatus includes an ejecting plate that slides along the rails of the connector. The ejecting plate has at least one engaging tab which engages the edge of the memory card when the memory card is inserted into the connector and is moved to the connected position. The ejecting plate is coupled with a lever pivotally mounted on the connector. A movable push rod is coupled with the end of the lever and generally moves in the direction opposite to which the memory card is inserted or removed. The push rod on the lever using the pivot point on the connector frame as a fulcrum and transmits the force acting on the push rod to the ejecting plate.
To eject the memory card from the connector device, the push rod, which often projects outside the electronic equipment is pushed in, which thereby causes the lever to rotate, moving the ejecting plate toward the slot of the connector. This movement causes the memory card, whose forward end face is engaged by the tab section of the ejecting plate to be disconnected from the contact terminals of the connector frame. Thus, even when the force acting on the push rod is small, the lever acts with a mechanical advantage and exerts a larger force on the ejecting plate, enabling the memory card to be disconnected and moved. Generally, the lever and ejecting plate are mounted on the connector frame using a cover plate, thus creating a thickness of three layers of plates.
As electronic equipment has been getting more compact and more sophisticated in recent years, it is desirable that the push rod and the connector frame with the inserted memory card be flush and reside completely inside of the electronic equipment. Thus, when the push rod is pushed in to eject the memory card, only a small length of the memory card may project from the electronic equipment, making it difficult to manually grasp and remove the card. The amount of the memory card projecting from the connector could be made larger by lengthening the lever of the ejecting mechanism to increase the moving distance of the ejecting plate. This, however, would make the ejecting apparatus larger, requiring a larger installation space. Also, the projecting force of the push rod increases proportion to the length of the lever which could cause the memory card to forcefully eject from the connector. Therefore, it is difficult to meet the demands for the miniaturization of electronic equipment.
It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a compact ejecting apparatus with a simple structure capable of disconnecting the contact terminals of the memory card from the connector frame and increasing the amount of memory card projecting from the connector frame.
The foregoing object is accomplished by providing an ejecting apparatus for disconnecting and removing a memory card from a connector frame that electrically and mechanically connects to the memory card by an array of contact terminals. The ejecting apparatus includes an ejecting plate that has an engaging tab for engaging with the memory card and is guided in an insertion and removal direction in which the memory card is inserted into and removed from the connector frame. A lever is rotatably mounted on a pivot on the connector frame so that it may be moved rotationally, with the pivot acting as a fulcrum. A reciprocable push rod contacts one end of the lever to move the lever rotationally around the fulcrum. A first force supplying section on the lever disconnects the memory card from the contact terminals of the connector frame by moving the ejecting plate when the lever is initially rotated by the push rod. A second pushing position on the lever moves the memory card further in the removal direction by directly pushing the memory card after the card has been disconnected from the connector terminals. The first pushing position is located on the lever between the fulcrum and the second pushing position of the lever.
In the present invention, when the lever of the ejecting apparatus is initially rotated by the push rod, the first pushing position moves the ejecting plate in the removal direction of the memory card. As a result, the ejecting plate causes the engaging tabs to engage the memory card and disconnect the contact terminals of the memory card from the contact terminals of the connector frame. Once the memory card has been disconnected from the terminals, the second force applying section of the lever begins to push the memory card directly. Since the second pushing position is a greater distance from the fulcrum than the first pushing position, this allows the memory card to move further out of the connector frame beyond the moving distance of the ejecting plate, thus enabling a larger part of the memory card to project from the electric equipment.
The lever of the present invention is formed as a parallel stepped structure having an upper section on one side of the fulcrum and a lower parallel section on the other side of the fulcrum. The ejecting plate is formed into the reverse stepped structure to that of the lever and guides the distal end of the lever along between the ejecting plate and the connector frame. Thus, when the distal end of the lever extends a great distance past the fulcrum, the movement of the lever is guided smoothly, enabling the memory card to be removed reliably.
Furthermore, it is desirable that the ejecting plate should have a roughly rectangular opening about in the middle of the width of the memory card and that the first pushing position of the lever has an upward projecting profile projecting into the opening, the projecting profile having an arced shape curved convexly in both directions. With this structure, at both the time of removal and insertion of the memory card, the front edge of the opening of the ejecting plate comes into contact with the curved surface of the upward projecting profile forming the first pushing position, thereby transmitting force smoothly from the push rod to the lever to the ejecting plate.
It is desirable that the second pushing position on the lever should be formed by a downward tab at least twice the distance from the fulcrum that the first pushing position is located. Thus, the lever is formed by a very simple structure.
Furthermore, it is desirable that the second pushing position should come into contact with the memory card only after the ejecting plate disconnects the memory card from the connector terminals. This structure transmits a large force to the memory card when the card is engaged with the contact terminals of the connector and causes the memory card to be disconnected from the connector terminals before the card is moved by the second pushing position.